Concrete form tie and spacer



Dec. 31, 1946. OLSON CONCRETE FORM TIE AND SPACER Filed March 31, 1945 12 21 512 far- I EU-7.1751- [7/5012 Z 7%% @fiZZMZw/M 5 72 forms more tightly together.

the construction of my tie and spacer devices, and

Patented Dec. 31, 1946- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONCRETE FORM TIE AND SPACER August Olson, Palatine, Ill.

Application March 31, 1945, Serial No. 585,829 Claims. ((51. 251s1 This invention relates to a tie and. spacer device for concrete forms and the like. The invention more particularly relates to a tie and spacer device formed of metal wire provided at its ends with pairs of spaced loops, which end loops are adapted to be inserted through pre-formed openings in the wood forms used in the laying of structural concrete.

In accordance with my present invention, the end loops of the wire tie and spacer devices are of such width as to require a partial Collapsing of the loops when inserted through the preformed openings in the forms, whereupon after such insertion the inherent resiliency of the loops is such as to cause the loops to expand back to their normal widths and thus frictionally engage the peripheries of the openings or holes in the forms. As a result of this construction, the tie and spacer devices of my invention facilitate the setting up of concrete forms since after the end loops have been inserted through the correspond ing holes or openings in the spaced forms, the forms are then practically self-supporting in that they are held by the devices in properly spaced vertical parallelism.

The devices of my invention also cooperate in a novel manner with the lock bars that are inserted through the projected loop ends, in that said loop ends can be twisted, either separately or. in pairs, to grip the lock bars tightly and at the same time pull the abutting edges of adjacent This results from particularly the provision of a transverse wire portion joining the end loops in each pair.

It is therefore an important object of this invention to provide tie and spacer devices of novel and improved construction, such that the setting up of concrete forms and the like is greatly facilitated. It is a further important object of this invention to provide a tie and spacer device formed of wire with pairs of looped ends adapted to be inserted through pre-formed openings or holes in the concrete forms, adjacent the edges of such forms that are to abut each other, which looped ends cooperate with the lock bars when twisted to engage such lock bars tightly not only to hold the forms in aligned vertical parallelism but also to bring the abutting edges of adjacent forms into tighter contact with each other.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawing.

On the drawing:

Figure 1 is a broken isometric view of a set of concrete forms or the like with which are illustrated tie and spacer devices of my invention cooperatively associated with lock bars to hold such forms in vertical aligned parallelism.

Figure 2 is a broken, fragmentary sectional view with a tie and spacer device of my invention shown in elevation.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary, detail sectional view showing by means of dotted lines the operation of inserting a looped end.

Figure 4 is a plan View of the preferred form of tie and spacer device of my invention.

\Figure 5 is a plan view of a modified form of my invention.

As shown on the drawing:

The reference numeral l0 indicates a concrete form, which may be of metal but is customarily of wood. In accordance with my present invention, each of the concrete forms I0 is provided with a plurality of openings I I adjacent the edges, such as the edges l2 and I3, that are to abut each other when the forms are set up in spaced vertical position for the pouring of concrete, or the like, therebetween. While different lengths and thicknesses of forms, such as the form I 0, may be used, it is preferable that the cooperating forms be provided with identically arranged holes I I, so as to he completely interchangeable, whether turned end-for-end or reversed with respect to their broad faces.

A tie and spacer device, indicated generally by the reference numeral I4, is formed, in accordance with my present invention, out of a wire of suitable gauge having the desired degree of strength and resiliency. The wire used in form ing the tie and spacer devices I4 may, for instance, be of'mild steel of No. 8 or No. 10 gauge. In the preferred form of the device illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, the tie and spacer device I4 is formed from a single strand of wire with an intermediate length l5 and two pairs of end loops I6, IBa and 17, Ha at opposite ends of said intermediate length l5. Each of the end loops l6 and I1, and Ilia and Ila is substantially identical with respect to form and dimension. As illustrated in Figure 4, the end loops l6 and I! lie substantially in the same plane and the end loops [6a and Ila are also in substantially the same plane, the two planes being substantially parallel to each other. Consequently, the loops I6 and lBa are aligned and the loops I1 and Na are aligned so that a lock bar, indicated generally by the reference numeral l8 may be insorted through each of the pairs of loops l6 and [6a, and I1 and Ila.

More specifically, in the construction of the preferred form of tie and spacer device l4, one end, I9, of the wire lies parallel to and in contact with a transverse portion 20 that extends between the two loops l6 and Mia. Said end l9 may, if desired be secured to the transverse portion 20 by soldering or brazing. The other end 2| of said wire similarly lies against and may be secured to the other transverse portion 22 joining the loops and Na. Each of the loops it, led, I! and Ila is provided with a rounded end portion 23, 23a, 24 and Ma to facilitate the insertion of these end loops through the openings 5 I. The width, indicated by the letter w, of the end loops is somewhat greater than the diameter of a hole I I, so that, as shown in Figure 3, when an end loop 16 is inserted through a hole I I, the sides of the end loop must be collapsed somewhat in the act of insertion. After insertion, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3, the convergent inner end portions 25 of said loop [6 frictionally engage the periphery 26 of the hole ll. Thus, even before the insertion of a lock bar IS, the vertical forms l0 and [0a, after the tie and spacer devices i l have been inserted, are held against falling outwardly away from each other. Furthermore, the transverse portions 2!! and 22, in conjunction with the intermediate length l5, hold the forms Ill and Illa against movement toward each other. The result is that as soon as the requisite number of tie and spacer device l4 have been inserted, the forms ill and Illa are practically self-supporting in a vertical position, owing to these tying and spacing features of my devices.

After the tie and spacer devices l4 have been positioned in place, a lock bar I8 is inserted through a number of the horizontally aligned looped ends It, l6a, etc. The lock bars l8 may be formed of metal, or other suitable material and are of such length as to take care of three or more of the forms IE), or lfla, making up one wall or the other of the completed form. The width of each lock bar it! is considerably less than the length of a looped end, so that after insertion of a lock bar, the looped ends may be twisted upon themselves, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, to tighten them against the outer edge of the lock bar, as at 21. It should be noted that in twisting one of the end loops It to tighten the same against the lock bar 18, tension is placed upon the intermediate portion 20 to cause the same to hug tightly against the inner wall surface, as indicated at S and against the inner periphery P of the holes H. The same tensioning eiTect is produced when the looped ends I? and [1a are twisted against the outer edge of the lock bar 38. Instead of twisting the looped ends separately, they may be twisted together. Twisting may be done by the use of a pair of pliers or by merely inserting a strip similar to the lock bar [8 but narrower through the looped ends and twisting said ends to tighten them against the lock bar.

A modified form of my invention is illustrated in Figure 5, which is similar to the tie and spacer device M, except that the modified device, indicated generally by the reference numeral 39 has two intermediate strand lengths 3| and Ski running between the pairs of looped ends 32, 32a and 33, 33a. The two ends of the wire forming the device 30 may be brought together along one intermediate length, such as the length Blue, and brazed or soldered together, as at 34. The use of the modified form of the device 30 is in general entirely similar to that already described for the device I4.

After the forms Ill and Illa have been set up and the looped ends twisted against the lock bars 8 to hold said forms in spaced, vertical relationship, concrete is poured in between the forms, as is customary, and allowed to set before the forms are removed. In removing the forms, the portion 35 of the looped ends projecting beyond the lock-bars l8 may be snipped oil to permit removal of the lock bars, or, alternatively, the projecting looped end portions 35 may be untwisted to permit removal of the lock bars, after which the wire ends are snipped off close to the holes H. This permits the forms l0 and lfla to be torn down. The intermediate tie and spacer portions 15 are, of course, left in the concrete.

It will thus be appreciated that I have provided a relatively simple and inexpensive form of tie and spacer device, the use of which greatly facilitates the erection of concrete forms, or the like, and insures proper spacing and alignment of such forms with a. minimum of effort on the part of the laborer. By reason of the fact that abutting edges, such as the edges [2 and 13 of adjacent form boards can be drawn tightly together, a relatively smooth surface on the set concrete is possible with an almost complete elimination of the ridges so often formed at the abutting edges of the usual concrete forms.

Thetie and spacer devices of my invention function to keep the forms from spreading apart under any outward acting pressure. The transverse portions of the devices, in conjunction with the intermediate portions, keep the forms from collapsing inwardly and also serve as a gauge for the thickness of the wall of concrete to be poured. The end loops cooperate with the looking bars, or slide bars, to brace the forms outwardly. By making the widths of the end loops g1 eater than the holes in the forms, the end loops are frictionally held in the holes after insertion to temporarily support the forms vertically until the lock bars can be inserted and held in place by twisting the end loops thereagainst.

The forms or panels may be locked edge to edge, as illustrated, or an edge to a side face, as in making corners. Instead of forming the forms or panels with their long edges vertical, they may. be joined with their long edges horizontal, and the lock bars can extend vertically.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with concrete forms having spaced openings adjacent the edges thereof that are to abut, of tie and spacer devices having looped ends inserted through adjacent openings, said device having transverse portions to contact the inner surfaces of said forms, locking bars inserted through said looped ends to span and support adjacent forms, and the projecting portions of said looped ends being twisted tightly against said locking bars to hold said forms against said transverse portions to space the forms apart.

2. The combination with concrete forms having regularly spaced openings adjacent the edges thereof that are to abut, of tie and spacer devices each formed with an intermediate spacing portion, looped ends inserted through adjacent opening and a transverse portion joining each of said looped ends to lie against the inner surfaces of adjacent forms, and a member inserted through the projecting looped ends to lie against the outer surfaces of adjacent forms, the portions of said looped ends beyond said member being twisted upon themselves against said member to hold the sam in place after insertion and to hold said transverse portions against the inner surfaces of said forms to space said forms apart.

3. In combination, a plurality of concrete forms of identical dimensions and having similarly arranged holes adjacent edges thereof that are to abut each other when set up, unitary tie and spacer devices formed of wire with intermediate spacing portions andelosed end loops joined by transvers portions, said tie loops having widths greater than the diameters of said holes but bein capable of contracting when inserted through said holes to frictionally engage the outside peripheries of said holes after insertion to hold said forms against said transverse portions in set-up and spaced relation, and members for insertion through the projecting portions of said tie loops to brace the outside walls of said forms, the projecting extremities of said'tie .s loops being twisted tightly against said members to tension said transverse portions against the inside surfaces of said forms to draw abutting edges of said forms together, said forms being spaced apart solely by the engagement of the transverse portions of said devices with the inner surfaces of said forms.

4. A form tie comprising a member adapted to hold opposing walls of a form in spaced relation in which said walls have aligned holes adjacent their edges that are to abut, said member comprising a single wire strand having an untwisted intermediate portion and transverse portions at the ends of the intermediate portion, and having a pair of loops at each end of said member with the loops at an end projecting in parallel relation from the ends of the transverse portion at that end of the intermediate portion, said end loops having widths greater than the diameters of the holes but capable of contraction when inserted in said holes to frictionally engage the outer peripheries of said holes after insertion to hold said forms against said transverse portions in set up spaced relation.

5. The combination with concrete forms having spaced openings adjacent the edges that are to abut, of a one piece tie and spacer device comprising a member formed wholly of wire and hav ing an intermediate spacing length of untwisted Wire with pairs of loops at each end of the said untwisted spacing length, the loops at each end being joined by transverse lengths of wire, said transverse lengths of wire engaging the inner surfaces of said forms to space them apart when the device is thereto applied with the end loops extending through adjacent openings in the forms, and said end loops having widths greater than the diameters of the openings but capable of contraction when inserted in said openings to frictionally engage the outer peripheries of said openings after insertion to hold said forms against said transverse lengths of wire in said spaced relation. I

AUGUST OLSON. 

